Bruised feeling along spinal cord

The first few years I was sick, beginning in 1985, I often felt like my spine was bruised. If I pushed on the area right next to either side of my spine, it felt the way a bruise feels...painful, tender, and kind of mushy, if you know what I mean. This feeling went the entire length of my spine and on both sides. It was such a pronounced feeling that I would often ask my boyfriend to look for bruising there, because it seemed like it just had to show up. But he never saw any actual discoloration. I've always wondered about that symptom. I was so overwhelmed by the illness the first few years, I only went to a doctor a few times, and I never remembered to mention that symptom to him. Has anyone else here ever experienced this? It did go away, I think after about three or four years, as I got a bit better, and has not come back during relapses. Just wondering if others ever experienced this.

I definitely have ongoing pain/inflammation in my spinal cord. In fact, as part of my morning routines, I do an energetic technique called the spinal flush which I learned from Donna Eden's book entitled "Energy Medicine". Essentially, I massage along the entire length of my spinal cord on both sides, and generally feel relaxing and balancing sensations from doing this.

Interestingly, I did a mini-experiment 3-4 days ago that impacted this chronic feeling in my spine. I took a single dose of Acyclovyr (antiviral medication) that my brother takes. I noticed a number of things, but I especially noticed the first morning after taking it, that the chronic varying levels of pain I normally experience was at its lowest point in a long time. Makes me think now that a lot of this spinal stuff may be viral.

Hi ChronicallyFatigued. Thanks for your answer. You know, that's a thought, maybe they are tender points. They seemed different from the tender points I have elsewhere, which are more like the classic FM tender points. But maybe the location accounts for the different feeling.

Wayne, hi. It sounds like you have had the same thing I'm talking about. I've wondered about it being a central nervous system viral marker. Your response to the meds is interesting in light of that. The exercise you do sounds so helpful. I don't have this symptom anymore, but it's good to know that protocol works for you. I need to get the book by Donna Eden. I checked it out from the library earlier this year and loved it. She's got so much information, and I just felt in tune with her approach to things. Thanks again for your thoughts about this. I've wondered about it for twenty years, and while I'm sorry you have this symptom, it's interesting to know that someone else with CFS has experienced the spinal inflammation thing. It seemed to be more pronounced for me during the worst of my photophobia and brain fog, or brain cringe, as it sometimes felt like.

I'm feeling some brain fog pretty badly tonight and can't write worth anything when I feel like this, but just wanted to let you both know I appreciate your responses.

I have this feeling all the time and it flares up with hot weather for me. Sometimes you can actually see the bruising along the spine. It always feels bruised and gets worse if I am over or under active GRRRRRRR I hate it.

But I also have fibromyalgia so don't know which is causing it could be both? As well as a scoliosis and lumbago of the lower spine. Hot salt baths help so I am figuring it is more of a muscular problem rather than spinal cord unfortunately s I am heat intolerant it alleviates one symptoms and causes others to increase.

I have this feeling all the time and it flares up with hot weather for me. Sometimes you can actually see the bruising along the spine. It always feels bruised and gets worse if I am over or under active GRRRRRRR I hate it.

But I also have fibromyalgia so don't know which is causing it could be both? As well as a scoliosis and lumbago of the lower spine. Hot salt baths help so I am figuring it is more of a muscular problem rather than spinal cord unfortunately s I am heat intolerant it alleviates one symptoms and causes others to increase.

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I had the same problem about 18 months ago - the feeling of my spine being bruised in between the shoulder blades. I went to the physio and (if my memory serves me correctly) he said it was caused by tight muscles and tendons rubbing along each other over the spinal area. Anyway, several sessions later I was absolutely fine and have not had any issues since.

I am supposed to see my naturopath back guy once a week to alleviate this but as per usual none of these things are funded under our sucky health system in NZ everything is user pays and I look after my disabled husband full time so am unable to work. Everything is a catch 22.

I definitely have ongoing pain/inflammation in my spinal cord. In fact, as part of my morning routines, I do an energetic technique called the spinal flush which I learned from Donna Eden's book entitled "Energy Medicine". Essentially, I massage along the entire length of my spinal cord on both sides, and generally feel relaxing and balancing sensation

Wayne

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Wayne......... how do you massage your own back? Or does someone else do it?

Wayne......... how do you massage your own back? Or does someone else do it?

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Hi Tammy, sorry for the delay in getting back on this. --- As I recall, I came up with my own technique, which may or may not necessarily work well for others. Essentially, I lay on my RIGHT side first (on my bed), reach up with my LEFT arm as far as I can reach, and use my thumb to start massaging along the LEFT edge of my spine. I start as high as I can reach up, and then proceed downward, massaging each 1-2 vertebrae for a few seconds. --- (I notice individual vertebrae have varying pain/sensitivities at different times).

Once I do that (takes maybe about 30 seconds total), I reach with my RIGHT arm and hand over the opposite LEFT shoulder, and reach down about to the point (still on the LEFT side of the spine) where I initially started massaging with my LEFT thumb. I then start massaging up toward my neck with my RIGHT index and middle finger tips. Again, this takes maybe another 30 seconds.

After I finish that side, I just reverse everything, which takes another minute or so. So, a total of approx. two minutes a day. One thing I notice virtually every time I do this is my sinuses clear up. My sinuses are mostly clear these days compared to what they used to be, but if I notice a little stuffiness, even sometimes in the middle of the night, I reflexively reach over and start massaging my spine, and the relief from the stuffiness helps me sleep a bit better.

thanks Wayne............your arms are a lot longer than mine! I am a shorty and mine don't reach that far.

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But your spine is shorter as well, so they don't have to reach so far, right? --- I forget to mention in my earlier post that I think the reason my sinuses clear up when I do this is because it's stimulating some lymph drainage; but it still amazes me how it happens so quickly. --- If you can't reach all of your vertebrae, you should still be able to reach most of them. Perhaps after "contorting" your arms and fingers trying to do this, after a while, you might just be surprised how you can come up with your own system that works well for you. --- Just takes a few seconds a day... Good luck!

I have an area that gets extremely painful when I lean back in a chair or recliner. I do this to take the weight off my butt where I have a similar situation. Which leads to my not being able to spend much time in front of a computer. I've always thought it must be what people are talking about when they mention mussel and joint pain in people with fibromyalgia. Few months back I finally saw a gp after 14 years. He mentioned I have scoliosis in my upper back between my shoulder blades where the pain is. Problem is when I'm active is when I feel best even when I do light exercises or lifting. That I wouldn't think would be consistent with scorilosis. It's a mixture between sharp pain and burning. The more I lay on it the worse to the point where if I do it too much feels like my heart is failing. Have two pins in my hip socket from an injury in 89 where I dislocated and fractured it. Always thought that was from this injury ( not being able to sit for long). When my CFS symptoms are particularly bad I get this on the back of my scull from laying on a pillow. The butt and back symptoms are always worse also. So it leads me to believe it's more than a pre-existing injury driving the symptoms.

I have an area that gets extremely painful when I lean back in a chair or recliner.

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Hey Antares,

I'm just now discovering the "Koren Specific Technique", apparently normally performed by chiropractors. Thought I'd post a couple of links to KST demonistrations (on YouTube) in case you might want to check it out. It seems like a good number of your symptoms are either caused or aggravated by structural issues. --- Best, Wayne

Thanks Wayne,
I suspect my problems might be a combination of structural and some kind of fybromyalgia CFS type thing. I also have something similar to frozen shoulder I can move it fairly easily in most directions without substantial pain but it is soar a lot and I can make it pop whenever I want by moving it in certain directions like holding my elbow out and rotating it. Recently started getting joint/muscular type pain which is disconcerting cause I got it after socializing with an old friend in a moldy apartment which I usually don't do. Usually the symptoms from mold exposure wear off this started a few days after the exposure (along with 3 days bed ridden) and never got better. Won't be doing that anymore.